I just want to ask if I work with commercial yeast and sourdough on the same day, won't the commercial yeast contaminate my starter and be the dominant yeast species in there leading to a change in flavor not just in my starter but also in the subsequent breads made with it? Also, is it okay to store my starter and commercial yeast next to each other in the fridge? Sorry if these questions sound foolish but I just want to make sure because it took me a good 5 years before I raised a viable sourdough starter. Thanks in advance.
If you don't put commercial yeast into your starter then how will there be contamination?
I wouldn't worry.
I was worried about cross contamination through hands or the air. I'm sorry if I sound silly. :)
to take the yeasts to the food because they don't travel within the dough. And even if some bakers yeast gets into the starter it's probably too acidic for it to survive. And even if they do survive what makes a sourdough starter a sourdough starter is that it has lactic acid producing bacteria too which wouldn't be going anywhere.
If you are still unsure then how about keeping your starter completely separate and just take some off to build a levain?
I learnt something new from you. You enlightened me. Thank you. I now have more dimensions to explore with my breads through sourdough and yeast combos.